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Although the temple must have been cared for over the centuries for it to have survived at all, during the last century it was neglected when the caretaker family fell on hard times (removal of the second roof in the 1950s). Roof leaks caused serious damage to the paintings on the entrance wall, and the east wall began to move outwards, developing a 4 inch/10 cm gap at the southeast corner. A construction of two large buttresses against the east wall executed by the monks of Lamayuru in 1994 halted this movement, but did not address the other problems of the building.
The original foundations had been excavated only 6 inches below ground level, and built up another 6 inches above the internal floor level. Because of the sloping ground, on the lower east side there was a stone base some 4 feet high. Over time the mud mortar had been leached out of the foundation stonework (and there were many poorly-bonded round river stones); a facing of small stones had been built 40 years ago in an attempt to prevent further erosion.
Wall paintings
The paintings are extremely soiled by swirled-up dust and by loam particles that trickled down from the roof construction. The visible damages are nearly all caused by irregular maintenance and as a consequence of improper building repairs. And, of course, there are also damages due to the daily wear and tear typical of “living monuments”.
First examinations of the paintings showed that their technical execution is excellent and that there have been no previous restorations or conservations. Therefore, the typical damages that wall paintings may have - like a powdering or flaking paint layer, this having been caused by too large an amount of binding medium or fixation substances, and craquelures or overpaintings - are nearly non-existent in this case. The state of conservation is very good in those areas, which have not been exposed to external damaging factors.
Phenomenological appearances of damages and their possible causes
Statically induced damages to building entailing consequences on paint layer:
Such damages affect not only the paint layer, but also the plaster and the adobe bricks beneath the paint layer (see also Condition of the Architecture).
- Movements of the entire structure of the building caused cracks that pervade all wall surfaces like a network. The painting adjoining the cracks is unstable and new lacunae of the paint layer, the prime coating and plaster keep developing.
- Statically induced cracks are developing primarily at the corner areas of the east wall and the east wall itself, as a result of an outward drift of that wall. Such cracks also appear on all other walls, although to a lesser extent, and the paint layer along the cracks is endangered.
- Unstable areas are developing around the ceiling beam heads, caused by the weight pressure of ever new loam additions onto the roof. Clearly visible are the vertically running cracks with extensive flakes of entire zones of plaster, prime coating and paint layer.
Damages due to water seepage:
- The building structure is also affected by damages of this nature that, in part, aggravates the static problems. Conversely, the faulty building static is the cause for the rainwater seepage at the edge of the roof (see also Condition of the Architecture).
- In the past decades, rainwater could penetrate the defective roof construction and then flow along the wall surfaces. The water flowing down the surfaces penetrated first the paint layer and then the loam plaster, causing the layers to swell and then to wash out. We notice in these areas usually a complete loss of both the paint layer and the upper, finer loam plaster while the coarser loam plaster underneath shows signs of damage(s).
- In other areas, the penetrating rainwater carried the dissolved loam from the roof leaving loam streaks on the wall surface. The paint layer underneath the loam streaks is still there although, in part, seriously damaged. This type of damage affecting large areas is encountered on the southerly part of the east wall and the entire south wall.
- In yet other areas, the rainwater penetrated the wall structure soaking the adobe bricks and the plaster. The various layers react differently as to the amount and time of retaining humidity: a soaked loam wall will retain the moisture longer causing it to expand whereas a more brittle paint layer absorbs less water and therefore dries more quickly. As a result, the layers separate and the paint layer together with the prime coating will come off in flakes from the finer loam plaster. This damage occurs mainly on the easterly south wall.
- Rising ground dampness is probably partly responsible for the loss of the entire paint layer and prime coating close to the ground floor.
Damages caused by use of the temple and its poor and improper maintenance:
- Apart from the rising ground dampness, it is certain that the damages close to the ground floor are also due to the use of the temple.
- The paintings up to about 150 cm from the ground have been rubbed against by people walking close to the wall so that the painting either appears shiny or has already been fully lost.
- While whitewashing the base zone, the painting was partly painted over, particularly at the westerly south wall and the west wall. Also, a few splashes of lime are visible in the upper parts of the painted surface.
- While attempting to remove lime splashes and/or dust, the whitewash and probably also the white parts of the prime coating, which was already partly exposed, were distributed in wiping sweeps over the paint layer. The painting was also damaged because too much pressure and probably too much moisture were applied during this “cleaning process”.
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Sculptures
The three sculptures are in a fairly good condition. Only some smaller protruding parts are loose, missing or have been replaced by reconstructions. The older reconstructions integrate well into the original sculpture, the younger ones are executed in a more crude manner.
Comparing the paint layers of all three sculptures it can be stated, that certainly they have been painted twice. Evidence for an older third paint layer is only given at the Green Tara. The visible paint layer is in good condition.
The throne platform and the sculptures are soiled by soot and dust.
Phenomenological appearances of damages and their possible causes
- The daily tear and wear of the temple obviously caused the mechanical damages of sculptural details which today are missing or have been substituted.
- Protruding elements like arms, in combination with their excess weight caused some fine but deep static cracks.
- The surface of the entire ensemble of sculptures is obscured by a thick coating of dust and earthen materials, especially in all horizontal parts and undercuts.
- Furthermore the fronts of the sculptures are exposed to the ceremonial burning of butter lamps. This causes a sooty deposit penetrated into the surface. This phenomenon is especially conspicuous on the white body of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. It is possible that these sooty deposits were the cause for the former overpainting of the sculptures.
Medicine Buddha
Repairs
It seems likely that the present colouring is the original one. Repairs of the sculpture have been made; probably at different times (see above “General”). A recent repair can be seen at the Buddha’s head, where lost curls have been replaced with clay, but have not been painted on. Earlier repairs were carried out at his hands. At his right hand the index- and middle-fingers are lost the tip of the ring-finger and the small finger are also lost. Replacements were made in a rather crude way. Repairs (clay fillings) were made at his left leg, close to the knee and at the lotus seat beneath his left knee. The repair mortar is quite coarse; it has a grey colour and is rather hard, but is most likely clay.
Losses
About 20% of the hair curls are lost, including some of the replacements. At his right hand all fingers except the thumb are missing.
Avalokiteshvara
Repairs and losses
Damages, losses and repairs regarding the clay fabric of the sculpture are minor.
Green Tara
Repairs
Remarkable is, that this sculpture shows much more repairs than the other two. This is perhaps due to its many fragile parts, like the elaborated head dress. One example for an older repair is her entire right hand. The size of this hand was probably enlarged. Most likely the original hand was fixed to the arm and then coated with clay and repainted. Some other parts, previously lost, were replaced and painted on. The flower at her right side is possibly a replacement, because the style how it is moulded looks less professional, and it carries only one paint-layer. One focus area was the head dress. The crown itself had been repaired before. The hanging loops on both sides of the head must have been broken off and got fixed to the head with unpainted clay. Size and style of some parts of the head dress suggest that they are later repairs.
Damages and losses
Major cracks can be seen around the small protruding lotus cushion with the right foot, and where the left arm is linked to the body. Despite the cracks those areas look stabile, due to the inner reinforcement of the sculpture. Broken off are the right index-finger and the right point of the crown.
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Wooden elements
Most of the wood which was exposed to outdoor conditions for a long time is damaged or has a corroded surface and shows multiple shrinkage cracks. The surface has several visible galleries and holes which demonstrate a former insect attack. The occurrence of this insect damage is typical of beetles which attack only fresh wood and the mostly over-painted insect holes and the dark colour of the wood indicate that the insect attack was long ago. The damage probably occurred shortly after felling the timber or building the temple.
The traditionally applied red paint, due to its water solubility, is partly lost. The cohesion of the paint, but also it’s adhesion to the support, is deficient and a result of the ageing process of this glue bonded paint. The surface oxidation of the paint has caused a darkish patina.
The surface is soiled by dust and loam from the various temple renovation measures, and the wood in some areas has stains due to water spotting or due to formerly wet loam coating.
The door shows physiological wearing away. Use of it has thinned out the red paint and caused the loosening of the crossbar-and-boards conjunction.
The original parts of the ceiling of the interior temple (see Architectural Conservation) show contamination of soot, dust and loam. The visible water marks are caused by former water seepage or wet loam penetrating through the ceiling boards.
The fragmentary preserved polychrome painting on the brackets has lost its cohesion and adhesion to the wooden support.
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